Isaac Takes Rebekah to Wife
| (Quan god haueð it ſo bi-ſen, 1412 Alſe he ſendet, alſ it ſal ben.) | |
| Wið gold, and ſiluer, and wið ſrud, ðiſ ſonde made ðe mayden prud; | With gold and silver and raiment Eliezer made the maiden proud. |
| ðe broðer and de moder oc 1416 Riche gifteſ eliezer ðe toc. Sone o-morwen he gan him garen, | Gifts also he gave to the brother and mother. |
| And crauede hiſ erdene, and wolde hom faren, for ſcrið, ne mede, ne wold he ðor 1420 Ouer on nigt drechen nunmor; And ðo gan ðat moder and laban | No longer than one night would he delay his errand. |
| Rebecca freinen ðor for-ðan, And ghe it grantede mildelike, 1424 And he hire bi-tagten bliðelike. | Rebekah’s consent was first asked and obtained. |
| Siðen men hauen holden ſkil, firſt to freinen ðe wimmaneſ wil, Or or men hire to louerd giue, 1428 for wedding or for morgen-giwe. | For this reason men ask the woman’s will before she is given in marriage. |
| Eliezer iſ went hiſ wei And haueð hem boden godun dai. Or he wel homward cumen was, 1432 Yſaac waſ cume to geraſis, | Eliezer takes his departure, wishing all a good day. |
| And wunede ðor in ðogt and care, for moderes dead and ſondes fare. In a weie an time he cam, 1436 And to a welle, ſigande, he nam, ðohgteful he waſ on felde gon; Eliezer him cam a-gon, | [Fol. 28b.] Isaac mourned for the death of his mother. |
| Eððede hiſ ſorge, brogt him a wif 1440 Of faiger waspene,163 of clene lif. He fagnede hire wið milde mod, Here ſameni[n]g was clene and god; | Eliezer brought him a wife by whom he was comforted. |
| He luuede hire on-like and wel, 1444 And ſge ne bi-ſpac him neuere a del. | Isaac loved Rebekah well, and she never contradicted him. |
read ðe
read ðo?
Notes
163 An error for wasteme.